Tales of Temples and Tombs

Tales of Temples and Tombs...an awesome musical about King Tut. King Tut, Tut...he was so divine. King Tut, Tut...yes, very very fine. Arg...I can't get those words out of my head! Colby actually had a rapping part. Yes, you read that correctly. My son, the biggest white boy EVER, rapped for an audience. And...I've got it on video. Don't think I won't whip that tape out on prom night :)

Rock on little buddy!!

Marisa's Halloween Party

Marisa helped me put this slide show together. She loves all her kindergarten friends! This was their Halloween party at school. Every year, the kindergarteners dress up in their costumes and parade through all the other classrooms. They are special because nobody else in school gets to dress up!

Colby's Halloween party at school

Happy Halloween!

Playing with pottery at ODU

This evening, we were invited to learn about pottery with the art students at ODU. The kids had a great time making a design of their choice, along with 2 bowls on the pottery wheel. Thanks for inviting us, Rachel!

Thank God it's Friday!

Friday happy hours are back! This is the day of the week where we sit in the drive way, enjoy a tall cool one, eat some snacks (Tiffany, you must make that dip again!), let the kids go crazy and unwind from the week that is now behind us.

We're blessed to have both old friends and new friends. Even though it seemed like 110 degrees outside, we still had a great time. Hunter, Ben, Emily and Grady - welcome to the neighborhood!

Goooooooooooal!

Soccer season has officially begun! Marisa is ready for her first game...she's got her soccer headband, her pink and white socks, her pink and black cleats and a can-do/soccer star attitude.

I'm thinking there are many goals in her weekend future :)

Bark, bark, yip, yip and off comes your siding!

Tropical Storm Hanna is gone, but not forgotten.

Kind of an ironic story. Cheryl and Sam (aunts) used to have a dog named Hanna. When Hanna was a puppy, I put her in the pool so she could swim. She absolutely hated it. And, decided to hate me. You could see a look of disgust in her eyes everytime I visited.

Anyway...our house has been through way worse storms than Hanna...hurricanes, nor'easters and thunderstorms. Never once have we had a problem. Never. Until now. Hanna came back to bite us.

Somewhere in doggy heaven, Hanna got the last laugh :)

(and while I was taking pictures of the damage, I came across a HUGE spider...AAHH!)

First day of school!

Wooo hooo!

Cannonball!

Today we had a pool party for the staff of Beach Scrapbooks. These ladies truly make our store the very best that it can be...day after day, month after month. We are so appreciative of them! Today, we had some fun :)

Gone Fishin'

I have to admit...I really did NOT want to go camping on my birthday, but it turned out to be lots of fun! The boys got to fish...we all got to swim...the food was amazing (Adam cooks better at a campsite than I do at home!!)...the weather was perfect...the campfires were cozy...the singing and guitar playing were awesome...the moon was full...the flag retirement ceremony was moving (only the Boy Scouts and the VFW can officially retire flags by burning them in a respectful manner)...the mosquitos weren't that bad after a whole bottle of bug spray...the smores were fantastic...and the kids had an absolute blast! And, after all the kids were asleep, a few of us hung around the campfire until the wee hours of the morning. I wasn't scared of all the talk about a crazy man with a hatchette. Really. Thanks to Adam, Sean and Kim for organizing such a great weekend! And, thanks to all for the group birthday song and wishes for a happy 29th :)

Oops...almost forgot about the Raingutter Regatta. Colby won first place in his grade level for the second year in a row. Rock on little buddy!

All in a day's work...

Here are some random pictures from yesterday. Crazy girls, a cool rainbow, an awesome colored sky and beautiful flowers. Enjoy :)

May you rest in peace

This morning started off like a regular morning. After taking Reese to the groomer, I made a quick stop at my mom's house to get my camera. We drove up to Richmond yesterday to meet my brother for lunch. He doesn't live there...he was just there for the day on business. I wound up leaving my camera in my mom's car, so I needed to get it. Anyway...I took a picture of Colby and Marisa with Brian yesterday, along with some silly pictures of Marisa holding the GIANT cucumbers and squash that came out of Brian's garden. Those were going to be my blog pictures for today...

At 11:00, Marisa had an appointment at her school to be evaluated for kindergarten. As soon as we turned in to the parking lot, there was a sea of police motorcycles. I immediately knew they were lining up for the funeral of Michael Phillips, a Virginia Beach police detective who was recently killed in the line of duty. Because I had just come from my mom's house, I tore out my camera and took a few pictures. There wasn't much time though, because I had to get Marisa to her testing. Plus, I didn't want them to think I was some strange papparazzi...

Fortunately, when we left the school, the motors were still there. I parked the car and took the opportunity to talk to the kids about the police family (units from all over the state were in attendance), the danger of drugs, good guys, bad guys and everything in between. We eventually got out of the car, sat on the sidewalk and just watched and listened. The man in charge was instructing the policemen on how to stop their bikes and dismount. It was a series of several actions, all which were done in perfect unison. They practiced and then eventually left, two by two.

It was all very touching, very meaningful. Especially since my brother is one of them. God bless the family and friends of Det. Phillips and all the other men and women who are out there protecting us.

Been there, done that, already scrapbooked it...

Well, not exactly! We returned from our cruise to Alaska on Sunday morning at about 1 a.m. and are still trying to adjust our bodies to east coast time. Marisa slept in until 11 this morning! Hopefully, we can get the kids in bed ON TIME tonight in hopes of getting them back on track. After all, school is just around the corner (woo hoooo!)!

We had a wonderful time, and, yes, Alaska is BEAUTIFUL! We saw whales, orca, american bald eagles, seals, huskies, salmon, snow covered mountains, glaciers, icebergs (just little ones called berggies), evergreen trees, beautiful sunsets, rain, cool weather (we did NOT miss this humidity!!) and lots, lots more. I have over 3000 photos to sort through over the next few days as I just couldn't stop taking pictures! Now, figuring out which ones to scrap will be a whole other subject...

Stressed!

Thanks so much to all the staff and volunteers at our church for putting on Vacation Bible School! They all do such a great job and my kids just love it. Colby was singing the songs at the top of his lungs last night in the shower!

Last Thursday through Sunday, mom and I were in Chicago for a big scrapbook trade show. We returned in the wee hours on Monday morning. It was a very busy weekend, but we got lots of great stuff for the store!

Now, we're trying to get ready for vacation. We're off to Alaska where the temperature is only in the 50s during the day and the 40s at night. And, of course, the kids need clothes b/c last year's pants are a little too short and their sneakers are a bit too snug. Do you know how hard it is to find long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts right now?!? We went to Target today and all my kids wanted were shoes. Have I mentioned that they both have serious shoe fetishes?? They both loved the Converse sneakers. She got pink, he got camo. A much cheaper solution than Vans! THAT is why I love Target so much :)

I still have so much to do before we leave. Finish up a laundry list of to-dos for the store...register for the cruise...wash...pack...find a pair of pants for me (I HATE shopping for me!)...locate a money tree...clean the house...take Reese to the doggy "spa"...find someone to feed my fish...pay bills...and prepare for the flight to Seattle by going out and buying one million snacks for the kids. They'll be so loaded up on sugar by the time we get there, they won't sleep for 2 days :)

So, the moral of this story is two fold. Thanks to all the VBS staff for taking my kids this week and gettin' a little Jesus in them! (And thanks to Tiffany who took the kids ALL afternoon yesterday so that I could get some work done....you are the BEST!) Second, check back in August. I should have some GREAT Alaska pictures posted by then.

Bye :)

Cub Scout Camp

Let me just say...the boys are LOVIN' camp! Despite the rain, we had a great day yesterday. We (the moms) were glad to have ponchos, but the boys could have cared less.

Ask them:

1. How to play Pokeen with their shuttlecocks
2. Why a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp knife
3. How they made their scout uniform organizer
4. Who was chanting the loudest
5. How they dug for gold
6. Can they tell you the name of a type of rock
7. Can they tell you something about campfire safety
8. What mom hit the target during Archery (oh yea baby, that's ME!)


Colby has already asked me to sign him up for next year!

Happy 4th of July!

Thanks to Doug and Tiffany, we had a great time today! Good friends, delicious food and awesome fireworks! The kids had a blast with water balloons, tattoos, water guns, glow sticks and sack races. Plus, they got to watch fireworks with 3D glasses...how very cool! The fireworks were incredible, despite the little fire. And, the shrimp...delightful!

Thanks again Doug and Tiffany - we're already looking forward to next year!

Another day at the beach...

Another day at the beach! Wow...we really are spoiled living on the coast. Today we went to Little Island with the Robinsons and the Gibsons. All 6 kids got along great...they dug, boogie boarded, swam, jumped waves and dug some more. At one point, the three boys got pulled out by a pretty strong undertow. A little scary for all involved, but thankfully all ended well. Colby was really freaked out by the whole situation and swears he's never going boogie boarding again. We'll see...

Even though the day started off very smokey (from the wildfires), it cleared up and we got to see dolphins!

The Halsey's come to visit!

What a fun week we've had! Our friends and old neighbors from northern Virginia came to Virginia Beach for a vacation. We hung out, went to the beach, swam in the pool, visited the Aquarium, had a BBQ and caught up with everyone's busy lives. The kids played together PERFECTLY! Colby and Bret are 6 months apart and Chase and Marisa are 6 days apart. We could not have asked for a better visit! We miss them as neighbors, but it's nice that we've maintained our friendship :) Thanks for a great visit Chip, Cary, Bret and Chase!!

Pool Party!

Our cub scout boys officially crossed over from Tigers to Wolves, and we had a pool party to celebrate! Thanks to Judi for hosting such a fun event :)

We swam, ate and made tie-dyed shirts (thanks Rachel!) in preperation for camp in July. Courtney, Kim and I are so glad to be a part of such a great group of boys!

A Day at the Beach...

What a fun day at the beach! On Friday, we went with the Erwin's to Little Island at Sandbridge. The kids kept themselves busy all day long digging for sand crabs, boogie boarding and jumping the waves. Kim and I were able to sit, relax and catch up. Summer is officially here!

Another missing tooth!

I have never seen a child more determined than Marisa! I heard her run in the bathroom. Thinking she was talking to herself, I heard her say, "this is SO exciting, I have to show Grandma!" She ran out of the bathroom to show us how her tooth was dangling. Seriously, she was giddy with excitment! She was jumping around the house chanting, "pull it out! pull it out!"

She was not content until that bottom tooth came out. So, here she is, minus 2 very cute baby teeth :)

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the best dads in the world!

An evening with the Tides...

Last night was Boy Scout night at Harbor Park. Before the game, all the boys got to go on the field while they introduced the baseball players. Afterwards, all the kids got to run the bases. Needless to say, it was a very late night, and the kids are both super grouchy today!

Cheryl's big birthday weekend in Florida!

Happy 50th Cheryl!!

Marisa graduates from preschool!

Today was Marisa's last day of preschool! It's sort of a bittersweet moment...for the first time in 5 years, we will have NO monthly tuition! Mama gets a raise!! But, our baby is off to kindergarten next year. Wow, how time really does fly when you're having fun!

Marisa has absolutely loved her time at Courthouse Christian Preschool. She has made so many new friends and learned so much. She adores her teachers, Miss Angel and Miss Jenny, and has even requested that Miss Angel be her kindergarten teacher next year! We have really been blessed with a terrific school.

As a graduation gift, her teachers made her a Prayer Pillow. The poem on it reads:

This prayer pillow is just for you,
to remind you that God's love is always true.
Whenever you are sad or happy, too,
Remember God is looking after you.
This pillow is meant to remind you to pray,
and to give thanks to God each and every day!

After her graduation, we went to Harris Teeter. On the way out, one of the employees said to me, "boy, she sure is growing up fast." I just wanted to cry!

Happy graduation, Marisa!

Cub Scout Bicycle Safety Event with Officer Davis

Marisa's End of the Year Party

Marisa - Dentist appointment

With two loose teeth, a sliced gum and one chipped tooth, our dentist wants to see Marisa tomorrow at 4:15. I will post another update then. In the meantime, it isn't stopping her from eating or playing! Her face is a bit scabby from all the road rash and cuts on her lips, but she's acting totally fine :)

More Marisa pictures

Marisa's face and gums are looking much better tonight. Here are some pictures of her just before bedtime...goofing off, as usual!!

Marisa takes a dive

As you can see from the pictures, Marisa crashed big time on her bike today. We were at the bus stop...she was riding around, Colby was climbing a tree and I was talking. I heard her crying in time to turn around and see Emma's dad picking her up off the ground. He told me that she took a turn too sharp and landed on her face. She was bleeding pretty good, but I just thought it was a split lip. I looked at her bottom teeth and could see the blood pooling up around them. Since they were already loose, I then assumed the bleeding was coming from them. Everyone was really nice - running to get ice packs and offering to drive us home. I declined, thinking it was nothing.

Half way back to our house, I stopped to assess the situation. I lifted up her upper lip and secretly wanted to freak out. Her upper gums were almost completely black, bloodly and, dare I say, a bit chunky. There were black specs in there (from the road??) and they were really swollen. I sped up the pace, cleaned her up when we got home and immediately called our dentist. They basically told me to clean her up, have her swish water around her mouth, give her Motrin and just watch her 3 top teeth. Marisa was really great about having ice on her lip for over an hour, which really helped with the swelling.

UPDATE: Marisa did great tonight. She ate chicken lo mein for dinner and complained of pain only a few times. Let me tell you that it did not stop her from eating 3 helpings AND a fortune cookie!! I brushed her teeth before bed and examined them a little more thoroughly. She does have a chipped tooth (which you can see in the pictures) and her front teeth are both loose and not perfectly aligned with each other anymore. The dentist said that even if they are loose, they may tighten up again, so I guess only time will tell. Her gums look so much better now than on that way home from the bus stop. We'll see how they look in the morning. All I have to say is thank God that these are still her baby teeth!

Strawberry Pickin'!

Yesterday, we went strawberry pickin' at the Flip Flop Market (just past Pungo) with Kim, Westin and Madison. The strawberries are delish!

Jungle Party Tonight!

The first graders at North Landing put on a GREAT show, "Jungle Party Tonight." They did a fabulous job :) The kids had to dress up as jungle animals, and Colby chose an alligator. Thankfully, we already had a costume because mama don't sew!

Meet Ava

Nicole (Jason's cousin) had her baby! Meet Ava Diane Lawrence. She was born on May 7, 2008 at 5:37 p.m., weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. and was 20 3/4 inches long.

She is beautiful and reminds me of Marisa with all that hair!

Congratulations to Nicole, Kevin and Addison :)

Mother's Day Tea at Marisa's School!

Marisa's school hosted a Mother's Day Tea on Friday for all the moms! They sang a couple songs, presented us with beaded bracelets that the kids made, and prepared food and drinks for us. They were all adorable :)

I have to highlight a questionnaire that she filled out about me (double click it to enlarge it). She put my favorite food as vegetables. Seriously??

Rest In Peace Grandma Tutz

Wii like to play?!?

A little Wii Mariokart action while Brian and Jana were in town this weekend!

If we did not go to the dentist...

If we did not go to the dentist, here is what our kids would look like...

If you double click on the pictures, you can get a better look at the teeth!

(By the way, note Colby's new haircut. He was trying to grow it "long" since that is the style is now, but decided he wanted a high and tight just like his uncle Brian. Whew!)

Look ma, no training wheels!

Wooo hooo! Marisa was SO incredibly excited today to learn how to ride without training wheels. I took them off when we went to go get Colby from the bus stop and, by the time we got home, she was cruisin'. She was a little tired after riding around the entire circle in our neighborhood, so we took a little break.

After dinner, we went out again and all she wanted to do was "go really fast and take sharp turns." We rode until it got dark and I MADE her come in. She cried a little but made me promise that we could ride all day tomorrow after she gets home from school!

She definately feels the need for speed...